A Butler Needs a Master
by bbst
Summary: When Ciel moves into his family's old mansion, the last thing he expected was for it to be haunted. But there's a spirit of a certain butler in there who doesn't want Ciel to leave...ever. What's a butler without a master, after all?
1. Moving In

**Disclaimer: Ne znam ništa vlastiti(I will do this until Google translate is exausghted. And then I will repeat the process.)**

**A/N: Hello, viewers. I'm back and drunker than ever! Uh, forget that last part. Here's another idea I've had for awhile. It's my first attempt at horror. Enjoy~!**

**XxxxxX**

Ciel wasn't sure how he felt about moving. Sure, his new home wasn't very far away from his family's current house in London, but it was an extra half hour from the city, which meant he'd have to get up earlier in order to get ready for school. And as much as he didn't want to admit it, he would miss his friends.

They had been very upset when they heard the news. Soma and Alois had grabbed onto him and cried. (In retrospect, the school cafeteria may not have been the best place to tell them. People were staring.) His cousin, Lizzie, had already learned of the move the previous night, but she was still upset.

"Will you morons get off me!" he yelled. "It's not like you'll never going to see me again. I'm still going to attend this school and come to the city on weekends."

"Why are you even moving then?" Alois asked, still hugging his friend's waist.

"Yeah, it seems like an inconvenience," Soma added.

"It's my mother," he explained. "Her doctor says that the city air is affecting her health. We're moving into the country in order to help her improve."

"Aunt Rachel _has_ been looking ill lately," Lizzie commented thoughtfully. "I hope it helps."

"How'd you guys even find a place so fast?" Alois demanded. "I know your family is rich but... damn."

"Apparently the manor-" he started.

"Wait, the _manor_?" Soma interrupted. "You guys are moving into a freakin' _mansion_? How did that happen?"

"_If_ you let me finish, I'll tell you," he told his excited friend, clearly irritated. "As I was saying, the manor has apparently been in my family for over two hundred years. The last resident was a distant cousin back in the late 1800's. Right now, we're having modern plumbing and lights installed."

"Why has it been unoccupied for so long?" Lizzie asked. "My mother said that she and you father had just recently found out about this place. You'd think someone would have already tried to buy it before now."

"Oooh, maybe it's haunted!" Alois teased.

"Don't be ridiculous," he retorted "There's no such thing as ghosts."

He had no idea how much he was going to eat those words.

**XxxxxX**

They moved in the following weekend. It had been a pleasant drive over. Ciel and his mother admired the country as they drove through it. They were driving in front of the moving van to make sure that it didn't get lost.

"So what's this place like, dad?" he asked. Vincent was the only one to actually see the house so far.

Vincent smiled at his son. "Well, Ciel, it's certainly very big," he said. "Our furniture should only take up a third of the space. It's also old, as you know, but it seems to be in good condition. Whoever rebuilt it did a good job."

"Rebuilt it?" he asked.

"Yes, it burned down back in 1888," his father informed him. "That's how it's owner, Ciel Phantomhive, and his staff died."

"Is that the ancestor that you named me after?" he asked.

"Yes," his mother answered. "I found it when I was going through the old family archives. It was such a lovely name that I knew I had to give it to my little angel."

He blushed and turned back to his window. So he was going to be the next Ciel to live there, huh? He found that a bit amusing. But the news of how the last one died unnerved him some. What if Alois' ghost talk was true? He quickly scolded himself for thinking such nonsense. The blond always had a way of getting into his head.

"We're here," his father announced.

He gasped as the pulled up the driveway. As he was told, the building was massive. It was also very beautiful. It looked like something a noble would live in. he couldn't believe that he was going to be living there. He could have sworn that he saw a curtain move in one window, but he quickly dismissed it.

They got out of the car as the van and real estate agent pulled up. Vincent quickly went to greet him.

"Mr. Landers, it's nice to see you again," his father greeted.

"Mr. Phantomhive, the same here," the man replied. "Let's hope that today we don't have the same problems that we had last time."

He was going to ask what they were talking about when his father turned to him. "Ciel, why don't you go inside and look around," he suggested. "Your mother and I are going to instruct the movers. There are a few maps of the place inside so you don't get lost. Your bedroom has been marked with blue tape."

He nodded and slowly walked up to the large doors. He was sure that they were going to be heavy, but they opened very easily. It almost felt like someone was opening the door from the inside.

The first thing he noticed that it was very cold. It was a startling contrast to the warm spring air outside. He was also struck with the sensation that he was being watched. He told himself that he was being ridiculous and continued to wander around.

He spent the next few hours looking at the house. He was always a fan of antiquity, so he enjoyed looking at the old architecture and paintings. He went into the every room and looked through them eagerly. He became excited when he saw there was some old furniture left. He even found an old desk in a room close the library. He made a note to rummage through it later. Every once in a while he would come across a locked door, but he figured that his parents had the key to those.

He finally came to the door to his new bedroom. After seeing the rest of the house, he was eager to see what it looked like. He reached for the knob when the door suddenly swung open, seemingly by itself. He stood there looking confused for a moment before shaking his head. _It must have been a breeze,_ he told himself.

He was surprised when he entered the room. There was a fireplace with two large bookshelves on either side. A table and and a few chairs were in front of it. He spotted a door on the opposite wall and walked toward it. He kept his face composed when it opened on its own. Beyond it was where he assumed his bed was supposed to be. There was an old and rotted bedpost in one corner of the room. He assumed that it had once been very grand.

He went through the next door he saw(which acted the same as the previous doors). Inside this room was a large wardrobe and vanity.

"An entire room just for dressing?" he observed. "This house must have belonged to a noble."

He walked through the last self-opening door. This one led to a large bathroom. In one corner was a modern looking toilet. The sink and bathtub looked old fashioned, but they had modern faucets attached to them. After looking at the tub(and making a mental note to have a shower head installed) he walked over to the sink.

He let out a gasp when he looked in the mirror above it. There was a man standing behind him! He only got a brief glance of pale skin, dark hair, and a black suit before he spun around. To his surprise, there was nobody there.

"I must be seeing things," he muttered as he left the room to go downstairs. "There's no such thing as ghosts."

He could have sworn that he heard laughter behind him.

**XxxxxX**

**A/N: Look out, Ciel, Slenderman's after you! Jk. I know this was short, but this was just to set the story up. It will get better as it goes along.**

**Review!**


	2. The Butler

**Disclaimer: Mimi si chochote mwenyewe**

**A/N: Hello again. Thanks for the favs, reviews, and alerts. That was...fast. This would have been out sooner, but I was busy reading Yu Yu Hakusho fics. I'm glad you guys like this so far. So, here's more.**

**XxxxxxX**

Ciel stayed downstairs for the rest of the day. After the mirror incident, the feeling of being watched had intensified. It was beginning to make him nervous, but of course he wasn't afraid. Of course not. He would never be afraid of something that didn't exist.

He was now eating dinner with his parents in their new dining hall. Their regular sized table seemed very out of place in the huge room. But they didn't mind. They knew that they were going to have a surplus of space.

"So, Ciel, what do you think of the place?" his father asked him eagerly.

"It's very...big," he replied. "And yet, it already feels like home."

"That's wonderful!" his mother cried. "Tell us, how did you like your room?"

He repressed a shudder, remembering his encounter in the bathroom. But he forced a smile and replied "It's like there are a bunch of different rooms in one. It's more than I know what to do with."

"It's the biggest bedroom in the house," his father informed him. "It belonged to the last Ciel who lived here."

He repressed a sigh. His parents were getting carried away with this "two Ciel's" thing. He decided to change the subject.

"Don't you think it's rather cold in here?" he asked.

"It's cooler than outside," his father commented.

"I don't feel cold at all," his mother said. She looked at him worriedly. "Are you feeling alright, darling?"

Suddenly, he felt extremely tired. He wanted nothing more than the comfort of his bed.

"Actually, mum, I'm feeling kind of tired," he answered as he rose from his chair. "I think I'm going to head off to bed."

"Oh, are you getting sick, darling?" she asked, looking concerned.

"No, it's just been a long day," he replied.

"Well, goodnight then, son," his father said with a smile. "Remember, your mother and I need to go back into town tomorrow to finalize everything. You'll be by yourself here, so be careful."

"Alright, goodnight you guys."

**XxxxxxX**

He yawned into his hand as he opened the door to the bathroom. As tired as he was, he figured he should take a quick bath before bed. Some dust or something might still be sticking to him.

He paused to look at the old tub again. He assumed that it as very old, but it looked clean and in good condition. When he went to turn the knob for hot water, his eyes widened in surprise. The tub was already full!

"Did the faucet leak or something?" he wondered.

He inspected it and saw nothing wrong with it(not that he knew much these things). He put his hand in the water and quickly pulled it back out. It was burning hot!

"This doesn't make sense. It couldn't have filled itself up," he stated. "Oh well, no use wasting it."

After adding some cold water, he stripped and stepped inside. He still longed for a shower, but the hot bath was also nice. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the tub. After a few minutes, he was starting to doze off when a loud bang to his right startled him back to awareness. He jumped, causing some water to go on the floor, and looked around. To his relief, there was nobody there. But then what made that noise?

He suddenly noticed that there was a small wooden table next to him. On it were a few towels and a bathrobe. He was starting to get an uneasy feeling. Where on earth had those come from? He certainly didn't put them there.

"I must be more tired than I thought," he muttered.

He got out of the tub, dried himself off, and rapped himself in the robe. Once, again, the door opened for him as he walked toward it. He was going to have to figure out what was causing that in the morning. Perhaps some sort of lever in the floor?

He received another surprise when he approached his bed. The blankets had already been pulled back and his pajamas were spread out on top of it.

"Mum must have done this," he guessed. Who else could it have been? He had demanded that his parents stop babying him when he turned ten. But he was glad, for he didn't feel like going back to the wardrobe room.

Putting on his pajamas was odd. It felt like they were moving on there own. He figured it was his fatigue catching up to him. But what really got to him was what happened when he climbed onto his bed. As soon as he laid down, the blankets moved themselves onto him.

He let out a cry of surprise. He couldn't deny anymore that there was something going on in the house.

"That does it, who's there?" he demanded. "Show yourself!"

Suddenly, a black blob appeared by his bedside. He watched with wide eyes as it morphed into the form of a young man. He was dressed as an old-fashioned butler. He had black hair that resembled the wings of a crow. His skin was very pale, which made his reddish brown eyes stand out. He had a slight smirk on his lips.

"You called, my lord?" the man asked.

Ciel was shocked, to say the least. He didn't actually expect for anything to happen. Especially not for some strange man to appear out of nowhere.

"W-who are you?" he demanded. "And where did you come from?"

The man looked surprised. "Young master, what do you mean? I know that you have been gone from the manor for some time, but to have forgotten me completely? Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine!" he snapped. "Now answer my questions!"

"Of course, young master, forgive me," the man said. "My name is Sebastian Michaelis, and I am the butler of this estate. I have been here for quite some time."

"How long?" he asked. "The real estate agent told us that this place hasn't been occupied for years!"

"Well, by nobody that they could see," the man, know known as Sebastian, chuckled.

"Are you saying that you're some sort of- of- bloody _ghost_?" he asked, aghast. Oh no, this was not happening...

"Well, yes, young master, I am," Sebastian said with a small smile. "I have waited many years for your return."

"My _return_?" he asked. "What are you talking about? I've never been here before today!"

"Perhaps not in this life," the man said. "But in your previous one, you lived here all your life. After you perished in the fire – along with me and the rest of the servants-, I was sure that I was never going to see you again, but here you are now. Though I must say that it was rather naughty of you to wait so long to return. It's rather rude to keep people waiting, you know."

"Are you saying that I'm some sort of reincarnation of your past master?" he asked incredulously. That's the most preposterous thing I've ever heard in my life!"

The man gave him a condescending smile. "Of, course, sir," he said calmly, as if to sooth a angry child. "even so, I look forward to resuming my duties as your butler."

He had had enough of this. "Get out!" he ordered the apparition.

Sebastian placed a hand on his chest and bowed at the waist. "Goodnight, my lord," he said before he vanished.

Ciel shuddered and pulled his blanket over his head. He tried to convince himself that what just happened was some sort of crazy dream.

"It's just my mind playing tricks on me," he murmured. "Everything will be normal again in the morning."

**XxxxxX**

**A/N: Guess what, Ciel? It isn't! I hope this will hold you guys over until I update again, which will probably be sometime next week. More Sebby next chapter. Now, I must return to my beloved Kuwabara and Hiei.**


	3. A Tour

**Disclaimer: Nid wyf yn gwneud unrhyw beth ei hun**

**A/N: Greetings, my loyal followers! I decided to go ahead and update this for ya. I'm not sure if I'll be able to update next week since I'm going to be really busy. Oh,well. And in case anyone's still confused, Sebby isn't a demon in this story.**

**XxxxxxX**

Ciel had already been awake for a few minutes, but he felt very content just lying in his bed. He had trouble falling asleep after the events of the previous night. Besides, it wouldn't hurt him to stay in bed a little longer. It wasn't like he had any plans for the day.

"Good morning, young master!" a deep voice suddenly called.

He sat up in shock. His eyes were suddenly struck with a blinding light. He covered them quickly with his hands. Who the hell had opened the curtains?

He slowly uncovered his eyes to see the same man from last night. The man - Sebastian - looked mostly solid, but as he moved he appeared a bit transparent. Beside him, he had a cart that contained tea paraphernalia and a set of his clothing.

"W-What the hell are you doing?" he demanded in an unsteady voice.

Sebastian gave him a curious look. "My lord, I am here to help you prepare for the day," he responded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It is already past nine o'clock. You don't want to miss breakfast, do you?"

"For your information, I usually sleep till at least noon on the weekends," he growled. "And I thought I told you to go away!"

"That was last night," the apparition said as he began to pour the tea. "Today, I have prepared, ahem, Irish breakfast tea. Your family's selection is unfortunately lacking at the moment, but I prepared this the best I could. I hope it is to your liking." He held the cup out to the boy.

He stared at the cup incredulously. "How the devil did you prepare this?" he asked. "I thought you were a bloody _spirit_!"

The man chuckled softly. "Indeed I am, young master, but I'm quite talented at manipulating objects," he replied. "Rest assured, I shall be able to serve you with ease." He offered the cup again.

Hesitantly, he took the cup and took a small sip. His eyes widened slightly at the taste. It was the best tea he had ever tasted!

Sebastian smirked at his expression. "I trust that you like it, my lord?" he asked.

The boy scowled at him. This man - spirit - _thing _was really beginning to grate on his nerves. "Another thing, why do you keep referring to me as 'your lord'? I am not of nobility," he stated.

"You are of the Phantomhive family, yes?" the man asked.

"Yes, I am," he answered. "But although we are wealthy, my family has not been considered nobility for many years."

The man's eyes widened in surprise. "How many years, if you don't mind my asking?" he asked gently.

"Ever since the 1880's," he answered. "Since this very house...burned down."

He faltered at the former butler's expression. His eyes were downcast and a small frown was on his lips. But then he suddenly looked back to the boy and smiled.

"Well, no matter what, I will always consider you of high blood, _my lord_," Sebastian answered, making sure to emphasis his new master's title. "You even act as though that were the case."

He blushed slightly. "Yes...well...," he murmured. He set the now empty teacup back on the tray.

Sebastian picked up the clothes he brought. "Now, my lord, shall we dress you?" he asked. He made a move to take off the boy's shirt.

"Hey!" he protested as he flinched away. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I am trying to dress you," Sebastian explained slowly, as though he were an idiot. "But first we must remove the clothes you are already wearing."

"I am perfectly capable of dressing myself!" he exclaimed indignantly.

To his surprise, Sebastian gave him a condescending smirk as he handed him the clothes. "Alright then, if you insist," he said in a mockingly soothing voice, once again as if to placate an angry child.

"Feel free to turn your back!" he yelled at the apparition, who was watching him carefully.

Sebastian chuckled softly and turned away. "Please hurry, young master," he said. "I would hate for your breakfast to get cold."

Ciel had the feeling that he was in for a long day.

**XxxxxxX**

He frowned as he pushed the leftover food around his plate with a fork. He still couldn't believe that a damned _ghost_ had made him such a decadent breakfast. Sebastian had presented him with crepes Suzette, strawberry scones, and more tea. The servant had even tied a napkin around his neck and stood by his chair when he ate.

"Are you finished, sir?" the apparition asked in a polite tone.

"Yes, I am. And, um, thank you," he added.

A genuinely amused smile appeared on the butler's face. "No need to thank me, my lord," he said brightly. "I am merely doing my duty as your servant. Now, I shall take those dishes back to the kitchen. I shall return soon." With that, he put the dishes onto a tray and promptly disappeared.

Ciel stared at the now empty space beside him. How had Sebastian vanished so fast? He sighed and let his gaze wander around the room. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad(well, if it turned out that this wasn't a big hallucination, after all). He always wondered what it would be like to have his own personal servant.

"I'm back, young master," Sebastian suddenly said beside him.

He almost jumped out of his chair. "Ah! You're back already?" he asked.

Sebastian smirked and held a finger to his lips. "What sort of butler would I be if I couldn't go to the kitchen and return to my master's side in less than a minute?"

"Uh, right," he said. He wasn't sure if the man actually wanted an answer or not.

"Now, young master, did you have any plans for the day?" the butler asked.

"Well, I was planning on exploring the house and grounds more throughly," he revealed. It wouldn't do for him to get lost in his new home.

Sebastian smiled. "Very good, sir," he said. "With your permission, I shall give you a tour. I think you might be quite interested in this house's history."

"Hm, alright," he responded. This should be interesting.

**XxxxxxX**

For the next five hours, Sebastian showed him all the rooms in the house and even told him a story about each one. Apparently, the spirit knew quite a bit about his family history, especially about his namesake. He couldn't seem to shut up about that.

"And here we have the game room," Sebastian said at one instance. "The young master would entertain his guests here as well as himself. Do you like games, too, my lord?"

"And here is the ballroom," he said at another. "Unfortunately, the young master had two left feet. He was always quite a wallflower at parties. Are you like that, too?"

"And this is the library," he said presently. "We lost quite a few books in the fire, but I did manage to save some. Hopefully you can, in time, replenish it."

"That reminds me, Sebastian," he said. "Who exactly rebuilt this manor? Why would they even bother?"

"_I_ rebuilt it, young master," the spirit replied with a hint of pride in his voice.

"_You_ did?" he asked incredulously. "How is that even possible? You're not even alive!"

Sebastian only chuckled at the boy's shock. "Oh, it did take quite a bit of time," he said "but I simply couldn't allow my master's house to stay in such a horrid state. And if I hadn't, you would not be here now, would you?"

"I suppose not," he said quietly. He wasn't sure if he believed the butler or not. There was no way that could be possible...

They walked by one of the doors he couldn't open the other day. Maybe Sebastian could open it?

"Hey-," he started.

"Oh my, look at the time!" Sebastian suddenly exclaimed. "It is already time for afternoon tea. I'm afraid we've missed your lunch, young master. Please forgive me for this grievous error."

"It's alright," he said. "I didn't feel hungry, anyway."

"Even so, let's prepare that tea," the butler said. "I'm afraid that we won't have time to tour the grounds today. I hope that young master is not too disappointed?"

"No, we can do it some other time," he responded.

But from tea time, to when his parents arrived home, to when he went to bed, he couldn't help but feel that he should have asked about that door.

**XxxxxxX**

**A/N: Well, there's more. It isn't much, but I hope you like it. This story is going at a much slower pace than I originally planned. And I know it's still not very scary, but all in good time.**

**Review if you like baby seals!**


	4. Accident

**Disclaimer: Jeg gør ikke selv noget**

**A/N: Hi again, guys. Thanks for all the support so far. I'm still surprised that this story caught on so quickly. Glad you guys like it. **

**XxxxxxX**

Looking back, Ciel wondered if things first started to go wrong the day he went back to school. Sure, he has only spent two days in the house so far, but apparently the butler was already used to him. It was also the day Sebastian first showed a darker side of himself.

The alarm on his phone woke him up at 5:30 that morning. He had programed it to do that every weekday from then on. He was responsible for himself in the mornings, so he carefully planned out how much time he would need. School stated at eight, but he liked to be there by 7:30. And it took about forty minutes to get there, so that left him a little over an hour to get ready. Which was good, since he was usually slow in the mornings.

He turned the alarm off and yawned loudly into his hand. He was going to have to splash some cold water on his face.

"Young master?" came Sebastian's concerned voice.

"What is it?" he asked as he climbed out of bed.

The butler looked at him with concern. "What on earth was that loud noise? And why are you getting out of bed so early? Is something wrong?"

He had to smile at the man's confusion. "No, I'm fine Sebastian," he said. "That noise was my wake-up call. It's time for me to get ready for school."

"School?" Sebastian asked as if it were a foreign word. "Why are you going there? And why so early?"

"Did they not have schools in the 1800's?" he asked as he started to walk toward the bathroom.

"Well, yes," Sebastian answered "but the upper classes usually went to boarding schools. This seems a rather odd time to go."

"I go to public school," he explained. "That means I go Monday through Friday for about seven hours. I usually get home around four in the evening."

"I see," Sebastian said in an odd voice. "You have a bit of a way to travel though, don't you?"

"It's not that bad," he said absently. He wondered if she should bathe or just wash his face.

"Wouldn't it be easier to obtain a tutor?" Sebastian asked as he started to fill the tub. It seemed that he would be taking a bath.

"Maybe if I was a total recluse," he replied. "School's one of the only times I leave home. I'm not that much for crowds. Why do you bring it up?"

"It's just that my previous master always hired tutors," the spirit explained. "In fact, I would often teach him myself."

"Really?" he asked. "And he was actually able to put up with you enough to allow that?" There was something about the man just just made the boy want to tease him.

Sebastian gave him a closed-eyed smile. "Yes, and I did a better job than his tutors did anyway, I might add."

"Hn," he grunted in response. He then started to take off his shirt.

"Does the young master require my assistance with bathing?" Sebastian asked.

He repressed a shudder at the thought. "Of course not!" he snapped. "Go make me breakfast or something."

"Yes, my lord," the butler responded before vanishing.

He sighed as he lowered himself into the tub. Thankfully, the water wasn't overly warm, so he wouldn't fall back asleep. He _really _wanted a shower-

He sat up as a thought occurred to him. His parents should be awake soon, if not already. His father needed to get ready for work, and his mother liked to wake up when they did. What if one of them noticed the apparition working in the kitchen? Surely Sebastian was being discreet about his presence?

He quickly washed himself and rose out of the tub. Sebastian had made sure to leave a few towels out for him(he didn't know _how_ he kept forgetting about those). He then made his way into his large dressing room. He had to admit, it was extremely nice to have a room just for clothes. It made him wonder what his parents' room looked like.

He had just finished dressing when there was a knock on the door. Sebastian walked in with a cart by his side.

"Oh, you're already dressed?" he asked with his eyebrows raised. "And you even managed to look neat and tidy."

"Is there a reason I shouldn't?" he asked defensively. Did the butler think he was a helpless baby?

"It's just that my previous master wouldn't - or maybe the correct word is _couldn't_ – do menial tasks like bathing or dressing by himself," Sebastian explained.

"He couldn't even do such simple things?" he asked, aghast.

"It was something all nobles did," the butler informed him. "Though he did try once. The results were quite laughable, really...Anyway, I have prepared your breakfast. Please come into the other room."

Ciel followed the spirit back into his bedroom. There was a small table set up in the center of the room that was covered in plates.

He sat down and allowed Sebastian to push his chair in for him.

"Today, I have prepared porridge that is sweetened with honey, boiled eggs, and raisin scones," the butler informed him while he poured tea. "Since your parents fortunately went to the market yesterday, I have prepared Darjeeling with milk. Please enjoy."

Since he was hungry, and Sebastian's cooking was probably the best he'd ever had, he ate with a good appetite. He then remembered the question he had earlier.

"Sebastian, did anyone notice you while you were cooking?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh, no, my lord," the spirit responded. "I can only be seen by those who I want to see me. Rest assured, I will not frighten your parents."

"Why do you serve me and not them?" he inquired. "They're the owners of this house."

"You are the only master I recognize," the butler said with a smile. "As far as I'm concerned, they are simply your guests."

He was about to reply when there was a knock on the door.

"Ciel, are you ready?" his father called. "It's time to go!"

"Coming!" he replied.

"I'll take care of everything here," Sebastian told him. "Have a nice day, young master. I shall be waiting for your return."

**XxxxxX**

If Ciel had known what was going to happen, he would have done his best to avoid his friends that day. Hell, he would have just stayed home. But no, he did neither of those things and regretted it immensely.

Of course, his friends wanted to know all about his new home. Even in their classes, they would not stop pestering him. They almost got a detention for disturbing their teachers so much. After giving them a very stern look, they agreed to wait until lunch for their questions.

"So, tell us everything!" Alois demanded as soon as they sat down.

"Well, it's certainly very big," he said indifferently. "It has a certain sense of antiquity to it, but it's in good condition. I spent the last two days exploring all the rooms."

"Ooh, I really want to see it!" Soma exclaimed. "Let us come over today! The curiosity is killing me."

"Today?" he asked incredulously. "Isn't that pretty short notice?"

"Ah, you know that our parents don't give a shit about what we do," Alois said carelessly. "Besides, we won't stay too long."

"Alright, fine," he sighed. "I suppose you won't leave me alone until I do."

**XxxxxX**

"Holy crap, this place is huge!" Soma cried as they walked toward the door.

"Yes, it is. And make sure you guys don't brake anything," he warned.

"Yeah, yeah," Alois said as he tugged on the door handle. To his surprise, it wouldn't open. "Hey Ciel, is this thing locked or something?"

He frowned and tried to open the door, and it swung open easily. "You know, Alois, they say that in order to open a door, you must first be smarter than the door," he smirked.

"Shut up, you ass!" the blond retorted as he stormed inside. The other two followed closely.

"Shit, is it always so cold in here?" Alois asked.

"Usually," he replied casually.

He spent the next twenty minutes showing them around. He wanted them to leave quickly. He wanted to have Sebastian show him around the grounds.

While his companions explored the game room, he noticed Sebastian beckoning to him across the hall.

"Excuse me for a moment," he said. "I'll be right back."

He quickly went and joined the spirit. "What is it?" he asked.

"Young master, who are those two?" Sebastian asked with narrowed eyes.

"They're my friends," he said wearily. "They insisted upon seeing the manor today."

"Even if they are your guests, they seem to be bothering you," the butler observed.

"Yes, they do that," he said. "I should probably go before they brake something." They started to make their way back downstairs.

"I think it just got colder in here," Soma said as he rubbed his arms. He looked around as if something scared him. "H-hey Ciel, t-there's no way t-this place could be h-haunted, right?"

"Of course not," he scoffed. Oh, if only they knew...

"Who the hell'd want to haunt Ciel?" Alois asked as he started to walk down the stairs. "He'd probably drive them away with all his bitching- Ah!"

He suddenly fell forward and tumbled all the way down the stairs.

"Alois!" they called after him and ran to his side, never noticing the smirking butler standing on top of the stairs.

**XxxxxxX**

**A/N: I'm so mean to poor Alois, aren't I? This would have been out sooner, but after I typed about a page of it, I just... lost steam. Enjoy the cliffhanger.**

**Reviews make me smile!**


	5. Request

**Disclaimer: **நான் சொந்த எதையும் செய்ய

**A/N: Hi, guys. Thanks for patiently waiting on this. Also, once again, Sebastian IS NOT a demon in this story. He was a human before he died. That being said, let's move on.**

**XxxxxX**

Ciel picked at his dinner absently. He knew that his parents were giving him worried looks, but he couldn't bring himself to meet their eyes. The earlier events of the day kept replaying in his mind.

They had called an ambulance as soon as they got downstairs. As they waited for it, they checked over their friend. He was unconscious, but he seemed to be breathing comfortably. After the paramedics arrived, they announced that the blond had a broken leg and a possible concussion, but otherwise seemed fine. They wouldn't be able to know more until later.

"Ciel, honey, are you alright?" his mother asked.

"Yes, mum, I am," he said quietly. "I just can't stop thinking about Alois."

"You can go visit him after school tomorrow," his father promised. "I can leave work a bit early and drive you to the hospital."

"Alright," he said. He then stood up. "I'm not hungry. I'm going to my room."

"Alright, darling," his mother said. "You know you can come talk to us if you need to."

"Yes, I know," he replied.

He kissed her cheek before making his way back to his room. A shiver went down his spine as he walked up the staircase that his friend tripped on earlier. He suddenly wondered something._ Did _Alois trip? As he recalled, it looked like he had been shoved. But nobody had been close enough to the boy to push him. Well, nobody that they could see...

He narrowed his eyes and walked faster to his room. Could the butler have really hurt his friend? He almost didn't want to think about Sebastian that way, but the more he did, the more it made sense. The man had given his friends rather dirty looks. And Ciel did say that they were bothersome.

He sat down on his bed and sighed. "Sebastian?" he called.

"Yes, my lord?" came an immediate response. The butler stood before him and bowed. "What is it you need?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He didn't want to risk making a fool of himself by accusing the spirit.

"Is the young master still hungry?" Sebastian asked curiously. "I noticed that you did not eat much of your dinner. How about I make you some hot milk?"

He nodded absently in reply. The butler gave him a concerned look before vanishing. In the spirit's absence, he convinced himself that he needed to voice his thoughts. He wouldn't be able to sleep otherwise.

Sebastian returned within five minutes with a kettle and a jar of honey on a cart. He poured the milk into a cup and handed it and the honey to the boy.

"Thank you," he murmured as he combined the liquids before taking a sip. He let out a little sigh. Sebastian always managed to make everything taste wonderful. He quickly drank the liquid and placed the cup back on the cart. He then turned to the butler.

"Sebastian, I want to talk about what happened to Alois earlier," he stated.

It was barely noticeable, but he was sure that he saw the man flinch. "Yes, sir, what about it?" Sebastian asked calmly.

"I'm going to ask flat out," he said with determination. "Did you cause him to fall down the stairs?"

"Yes, I did," Sebastian replied simply.

"What?" he gasped. He didn't think that Sebastian would just admit to it, let alone sound so passive. "Why would you do that? You could have killed him!"

"But, my lord, he and that other boy were bothering you," Sebastian said, sounding aghast. "I cannot have people coming into my master's home and blatantly insult him. I normally wouldn't interfere, but you weren't making any move to defend yourself. I decided to teach them what happens to those who insult the Phantomhive name."

"You're insane!" he snapped. "We always talk to each other like that! If it was really bothering me, I would have given them a peace of my mind! You presume far too much!"

To his surprise, the spirit smiled slightly. "It is good to see that you have not changed too much over the years, young master."

He just stared at the man for a moment before scowling. "Get out!" he demanded. "I don't want to see you in the mornings or any other time of day. Leave my sight permanently."

Sebastian took a step back at that. His face held a look of shock and hurt. But he bowed and said "Yes, my lord," with sadness and resignation in his voice. He then vanished.

Ciel fell back on his bed and sighed. He couldn't help but feel guilty for hurting Sebastian's feelings. But the spirit was clearly dangerous. Maybe it was best that he just forget about the butler.

**XxxxxxX**

The rest of the week passed by ordinarily enough. He went to school and came home to a quiet house. He passed the hours studying and watching television, much like other people his age. He went back to his regular morning routine(which was a lot busier without Sebastian to help).

He visited Alois on the two days that he was kept in the hospital. The blond was going back to school next Monday. His leg was broken, but everything else was, thankfully, fine. Ciel wanted to ask him if it felt like he had been shoved, but he didn't know how to explain that question.

"It's a good thing your head's so hard," Ciel told his friend. "Otherwise you might have lost the small amount of brains you have."

"Oh, hardee har har," Alois replied sarcastically. "You know, I could sue you for this. I was hurt on your property, after all. But instead, you can just carry my books for me. Luka volunteered, but he forgot that we go to different schools." He smiled fondly at the thought of his younger brother.

"Maybe you should call Ghostbusters or something, Ciel," Soma suddenly suggested. "I've been thinking, and I think your house is haunted. It was really cold in there, and I felt some strange presence. I really do think that a ghost might have hurt Alois."

"You, uh, have really thought hard about this, haven't you?" he asked awkwardly.

"Cool, we can be on 'The Haunted'!" Alois exclaimed.

"Stop being ridiculous!" he snapped. "There is no ghost in my house and even if there was, I don't need help!"

Later on, he would regret not taking his friend's advice.

**XxxxxX**

He woke up around noon on Saturday. It was nice to sleep for so long after a long week. And even though he was still a bit groggy, he could sense another presence in the room.

"What is it, Sebastian?" he sighed. The butler had not bothered him all week. Why now?

Sebastian appeared before him and bowed on one knee. "My lord, I want to apologize," he said solemnly. "I acted quite atrociously toward your guest. You are right, I should never have acted without permission. From now on, I shall only act on your orders. Please allow me to continue serving you. I promise that I'll be your faithful dog."

He knew that he should send the apparition away, but something was telling him to forgive Sebastian. It was like a feeling of old friendship. Maybe even compassion. Besides, it seemed like the man had learned his lesson.

"Fine, but I want no more incidents like what happened on Monday," he said sternly.

"Of course," Sebastian replied eagerly. "Now, I have prepared for you a light lunch. If you wish, I can show you the grounds after you have eaten."

"Sounds good," he relied.

They then spent a good three hours exploring the grounds. Sebastian showed him everything from the gardens to the stables. And, of course, he had more stories about the house's previous occupants.

"The gardens were once very grand," the butler informed him. "Though I must say, that was mostly my doing. Our gardener unfortunately didn't know his own strength. He was also an idiot. In fact, all of the servants were incompetent."

"If they were so bad, why were they working here?" he asked as he examined a long dead rose bush.

"They were mainly hired to protect the manor from intruders," Sebastian explained. "I did try to teach them how to be proper servants, but they just never managed to learn."

"Hn," was all he said in reply. Even though Sebastian spoke of his former co-workers with contempt, Ciel could see a fond look in the man's eye.

"Young master, it looks as though it might rain. Why don't we return inside?" Sebastian suggested.

"Yes," he agreed as they hurriedly made their way back to the large house.

"Young master, is there anything else you'd like to do? If not, I shall go prepare your afternoon tea," Sebastian said.

Ciel thought for a moment. "Actually, Sebastian, there is. There's a room upstairs that has it's door locked. I want to see what's inside of it."

**XxxxxX**

**A/N: Hm, that chapter didn't go quite like I planned. This whole story isn't going like I planned. Also, there probably won't be more than three more chapters. I never planned for this to be very long, and I've already got the ending planned out. (I keep using the word "planned".) Planned planned plannedddddd... Sorry.**

**Review!**


	6. The Ring

**Disclaimer: Ma ei ise midagi**

**A/N: Hey, ya'll! Thanks for sticking around for this so far. I feel like I could somehow make this story better, but I can't just think of what to add right now. Maybe one day. But for now, we have this. On we go!**

**XxxxxxX**

Sebastian stared at him for a long moment before answering. "Young master, that's a rather odd request," he said. "Why the sudden interest in such a trifle of a thing?"

"It simply makes me curious," he replied. "That should be a good enough reason. Do have the means to unlock it?"

"Yes, I do," the butler answered a bit hesitantly. "But maybe the young master should wait until later?"

"Why?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "I think now is a perfect time. Or is it that...there's something you don't want me to see?"

"Of course not!" Sebastian replied a bit too quickly. "As I said, it's almost teatime-"

"Don't lie to me!" he demanded. "You're obviously trying to hide something from me. What sort of butler lies to his master? So tell me, what's in that room that you don't want me to see?"

To his surprise, Sebastian started to chuckle softly. "How very perceptive you are, my lord," he said. "That's one thing that hasn't changed after all this time. You are correct, though. A butler should never keep things from his master. Of course I will show you that room. Please follow me."

He raised his eyes at the spirit's mood swing. Was the man bipolar when he was alive? But he shrugged the thought off and followed the butler into the house. They stayed in silence until they reached the door. Sebastian pulled out a set of keys and quickly located the one he needed. He put it in the lock but stopped before he opened the door.

"I had wanted to wait until the young master had been here longer before showing him this," Sebastian informed him. "But since you insist, I will do it."

With that, he opened the door and took a few steps to the side so that Ciel could see better. The boy tried to suppress his eagerness as he walked into the dimly lit room. Although he was very curious, he didn't want to appear childish. But he was shocked when he observed the interior of the room.

There was a giant portrait of himself on the back wall! He walked closer to examine it better. The boy in the portrait looked just like him, except he wore an extravagant old-fashioned suit that was navy blue in color. He also had an eye patch covering his right eye. There was a sharp look in his eye and a slight frown on his face.

"I see that you're observing the portrait of my previous master," Sebastian said as he came to stand by the boy's side. "You look very much like him. You often act like him, too. Though you have a more cheerier disposition than he had. I might say it's an improvement."

He noticed that there was a date at the bottom of picture. After looking closely, he made out: _August __14, 1889. _

"This was made over a hundred years ago," he observed.

"A hundred and twenty four, to be precise," Sebastian added. The butler fondly traced the painted face with a finger. "This was made four months before the fire. He died exactly a month before his fourteenth birthday."

"His birthday was December fourteenth?" he asked quietly. When the butler nodded in response, he said "That's my birthday, too."

Sebastian gave him a small smile. "Is that so?" he asked softly.

He turned to see what else was in the room. In one corner, there was some table sized object that was covered by a tarp. There was an old wardrobe against one wall. Across from that was a bookshelf that was filled with deteriorated books and papers. By the door, there was an antique chessboard.

"Oh, these are mementos of my master that survived the fire," the spirit explained. "I brought them here to keep them safe."

He went over to examine the contents of the bookcase. He carefully handled and looked over old documents that looked like paperwork. The yellowed pages held information about toy and candy manufacturing, employee salaries, and building factories in other countries. They were all signed with his name.

"It looks like you've a built a shrine of him in here," he commented as he looked over the room once more.

"Hm, I've never quite thought about it like that," Sebastian said, sounding half amused and half annoyed. "I suppose you could look at it that way."

"Do you come in here often?" he couldn't resist asking.

"I do from time to time," the butler replied.

_This is starting to get very creepy,_ he thought.

That thought made him realize how comfortable he was with Sebastian. The man was a bloody _ghost_, and yet Ciel treated him as a regular person. Anyone else would have ran away or, as Soma said, call Ghostbusters. But he actually welcomed Sebastian's company. In fact, he could tell that there were some rather friendly feelings between them.

_How can I feel this way after what happened to Alois?, _he thought.

To distract himself, he turned his attention to the tarp. He gently brushed some of the dirt of it. He could tell that whatever laid beneath it was made of wood.

"What's under here?" he asked the butler. If it was covered up, it must be precious.

"That's something the young master may not want to see," Sebastian replied nervously. "Of course, you can if you want to. But I do not believe it's wise."

Ignoring the spirit's warning, he pulled the tarp off, revealing an old and somewhat rotted coffin. He took a few steps back and a feeling of dread came over him. A slight scent of decay rose from the coffin and caused him to gag.

"What is this?" he whispered, trying to maintain his composure.

Sebastian came forward and put his hands on the boy's shoulders in an attempt to comfort him. Ciel felt himself lean back into the man's touch.

"Relax, young master," the man soothed. "Nothing is going to hurt you."

"Why is there a coffin in here?" he quietly demanded.

Sebastian sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "After this manor caught fire and burned down, they scavenged for the body's of everyone who resided here. And they found the bodies of the servants - including mine – but...not the body of my young master."

The butler stiffened and held the boy tighter. "Apparently, the flames had trapped my young lord in his bedchamber. Not knowing what else to do, he hid in a secret compartment in the wall. The smoke from the flames came in through the cracks and suffocated him. Since nobody except him and I knew about the compartment, they never located his body and he never received a proper burial. After everyone was gone, I used some wood that was still in good condition to make him a coffin and put him in here. It is not much, but I like to think that he would appreciate my efforts."

They stood in silence for a few moments before Sebastian let go of him. "Forgive me, my lord," he said. "I should not have been so forward. If you are done here, I shall prepare you some tea."

"Alright," he said and then quickly turned to leave.

"Oh!" Sebastian exclaimed. "If you wait just a moment, my lord, there is one more thing."

The butler went back to the coffin and started to open the lid.

"What are you doing?" Ciel asked, incredulous. Surely the spirit wasn't going to show him the corpse!

"Not to worry, young master," was all Sebastian said.

He reached into the old coffin and pulled out a piece of folded cloth. He then shut the lid and pulled the tarp back over it. Seemingly out of nowhere, he produced a rag, and two bottles.

"Please come here, young master," Sebastian requested softly.

He hesitantly walked toward the butler. Upon closer inspection, he saw that one bottle was silver polish and the other was some generic cleaning liquid. Sebastian carefully opened the cloth to reveal an old ring. Even though it was somewhat rusted, he could tell that it was made out of silver. What really caught his attention was the large blue gem attached to it.

"This ring has been in your family for generations," Sebastian informed him as he cleaned the ring. "naturally, I thought it would remain in the coffin with my previous master for the rest of time, but since there is a new Phantomhive here, it should be given to you."

He held up the now polished ring for his master to see. Ciel stared at the ring admirably. The silver band shown like new, and the stone was a beautiful shade of blue. Sebastian gently took hold of his hand and held it to the ring.

"W-wait-" he stammered. Even though the ring was clean, it was just touching a corpse.

Sebastian ignored him and quickly slipped the ring onto his thumb. As soon as it was on, a sense of calm calm came over him. He felt like he had had the ring his entire life.

"It suits you quite well, young master," Sebastian commented.

He smiled slightly at the butler. He didn't know why, but something about him just felt...different. But he didn't care. "Thank you, Sebastian," he said. "Now, how about that tea?"

"Yes, my lord."

**XxxxxX**

**A/N: I didn't think I was going to like this chapter, but I did. I hope you guys do, too. **

**Review!**


	7. Arguments

**Disclaimer: ****ที่ฉันทำไม่ได้อะไรของตัวเอง**

**A/N: Hello again. Thanks for waiting patiently, guys. I was really busy last week and didn't have a lot of time to write...that, and I'm lazy. Hey, has anyone seen the new Batman movie yet? Christian Bale in a fancy suit...*drools* Anyway! On to the story!**

**XxxxxX**

Ciel noticed that a change gradually came over him. Well, a few changes, actually. It wasn't anything overwhelming or shocking, nothing that would cause anyone to be concerned. They were in fact so subtle that even he didn't notice them at first. Maybe if he had, he would have been alerted to danger.

One thing was that he became increasingly more dependent on Sebastian. When the butler insisted on doing things like cooking his meals and bringing his clothes to him in the morning, that was fine. He also didn't mind when the spirit drew a bath for him(of course he kicked the man out shortly afterwards so he could bathe in private). Everything else he did himself. His parents had raised him to be independent.

But somehow, that all changed. It all started when he was getting dressed one morning. Usually, the spirit left after handing him his clothes, but that morning he stayed. Sebastian had slowly brought his hands up to the boy's shirt. He hesitated before started to undo the buttons on it.

Ciel knew that he should have said something or put up some sort of resistance. But for some reason this felt...oddly natural. He didn't mind at all when the butler undressed him and then redressed him. It felt like a common, everyday thing. He also didn't say anything when Sebastian went so far as to brush his hair.

At first, he only allowed this to happen in the morning. He told himself that he only did it because he was tired. But then Sebastian started dressing him at night, and then every time he needed to change clothes. And though the butler never said anything, Ciel could tell that the spirit was happy with how comfortable they were with each other.

Another thing that happened was that he allowed Sebastian to bathe him. That started the same way that the dressing did. One day while he was in the tub, Sebastian started to scrub his back. The feeling caused him to relax, so he didn't mind. He almost protested when the butler started to wash the rest of his body, but then that strange content feeling came back over him.

It was like Sebastian had been taking care of him his entire life. Besides, it was a butler's duty to do these sorts of things, wasn't it?

**XxxxxX**

He had never been the most social person in the world, but he always managed to have plenty of good friends and acquaintances. And even though he was often snarky and had a short temper, they still clung to him like a lifeline. He could be friendly when he wanted to be, and those moments made them love him even more.

His anti-social feelings had become stronger as of late. Every time his friends tried to talk to him, he either cut their conversation short or simply ignored them. He couldn't bring himself to listen to their obnoxious chatter anymore. After a few days of that, they finally confronted him.

He was standing outside of the school, waiting for his mother to come pick him up. It was Friday, which meant that he could go a full two days with just his butler's company. What's more, he only had one more week of school before summer break. He was looking forward to it. It would give him a chance to relax.

He was bending down to tie his shoe when he was shoved to the ground. He looked up to see an angry Alois and Soma standing over him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded as he stood back up.

"Right now, _you're_ what's wrong with us!" Alois answered. "You've been treating us like crap all week! What's your problem?"

"It's true, Ciel," Soma added, sounding sad. "Tell me, what have we done to anger you? I cannot have my little brother upset with me."

He snorted in response. "You still insist on calling me your 'brother'?" he sneered. "You presume far too much."

He started to walk away when Alois grabbed his shoulder and spun him back around.

"There you go again, you prick!" the blond yelled.

To his surprise, Ciel slapped him across the face – hard. He staggered back and stared at his friend in shock.

"Don't touch me so easily!" he yelled. "Who do you think you are?"

"Oh, so what? Does rich boy suddenly think he's so high and mighty? You move to a damn mansion and you think you're better than us?" Alois retorted.

Suddenly, Rachel's car pulled up close to them. He took that as his cue to leave. Without saying a word, he turned on his heel and started to walk away.

"Fuck you, Ciel!" Alois yelled. "Just fucking walk away! But don't expect us to ever talk to you again!"

He snorted again and kept walking. Did they really think so much of themselves that they assumed that he would actually _want_ their company? Ridiculous. He would choose solitude over them any day.

As they drove away, he never noticed Soma sobbing loudly or Alois angrily kick over a trash can.

**XxxxxxX**

The breaking point came a few months later. The Midford's were going on a cruise for the holidays, so they decided to celebrate his birthday a month early. In the past, he would have been happy for the celebration. But now, he just grumbled. Why did they insist on celebrating such a pointless thing? Ever since the incident in That Room, the thought of his birthday reminded him of fire and death. It didn't feel right to celebrate. He voiced his thoughts to his butler.

"Now, now, young master, don't fret," Sebastian soothed as he finished tying the boy's tie. The whole family had decided that they would dress formally tonight. Ciel had adorned a simple gray and brown suit. "They are your family. It won't be that bad."

"Probably," he sighed. "But my cousins can be a bit...overbearing. I'm afraid that I might lose my temper."

"I'm sure that you can stay composed, my lord," the butler said with a smile. "Just remember, they are guest in your home."

"I suppose you're right," he said as he put on his ring. He had never worn it in front of other people before, but tonight seemed like a good excuse. He then made his way downstairs.

As he entered the dining room, Lizzie instantly ran over and hugged him tightly. He almost stiffened at her touch, but instead forced himself to hug her back.

"Happy early birthday, Ciel!" she squealed. She was wearing a bright pink dress that hurt his eyes a bit.

"Hello, Elizabeth," he greeted quietly.

"Oh, what's with this 'Elizabeth' stuff?" she asked. "You always call me Lizzie! And what's with that suit? It's not cute at all. It's very drab!"

Me forced himself to smile. "I rather like this suit," he said simply. Really, the girl had no manners.

Apparently, her mother thought so, too. "Elizabeth!" she snapped. "Don't insult him like that! Especially not at his birthday party!"

Of course, Lizzie instantly apologized to both him and her mother. He simply nodded in reply. His uncle merely smiled at his daughter's antics while his cousin Edward sent a glare in his direction. In his eyes, his little sister could do no wrong.

His parents soon came in, and then they all went to sit at the table. Ciel could feel rather than see Sebastian standing behind his chair. It made him smile a bit.

After the adults talked about the upcoming cruise for a bit, his mother finally noticed her son's new accessory.

"Ciel, where on earth did you get that ring?" she asked.

They all turned to see what she was talking about. He held up the ring for them to see.

"I discovered this whilst exploring the house a few months ago," he explained. "After doing some research, I learned that this ring has been in our family for generations. I thought that it was only fit to wear it."

"Ooh, it's so pretty!" Lizzie cooed. She quickly bent over and snatched it off his finger. "Is this a real diamond? It matches your eyes-"

"Give it back!" he demanded.

They all turned to look at him in shock.

"Ciel-" she started.

"Don't just take things without permission!" he yelled. "Don't you have any sense? Give it back now!" He didn't know why he was so upset, but he knew that he had to have that ring back.

"Why are you being so mean to me?" she yelled back. "I just wanted to look at it! Alois and Soma were right, you've changed! I don't like you anymore! Here, take your damned ring!"

With that she threw it to the floor, causing the fragile band to shatter. He looked at it in shock for a moment. He then snarled at the now crying girl and started to raise his hand. He was stopped by a cold, invisible force holding his arm down. Instead, he sighed sadly and picked up the broken pieces.

"Excuse me," he said quietly.

He walked back to his room and sat heavily on his bed. He gazed sadly at the broken band. Perhaps there was a way to fix it? Suddenly, Sebastian appeared before him and gently took the ring from him.

"You've grown very attached to this, haven't you?" he asked the boy.

He nodded slowly. The spirit started to say something, but then they heard footsteps coming toward his room. Sebastian vanished just before his parents came into the room. He could tell by their faces that they were upset.

"Ciel, we need to talk," his father said solemnly.

"About what?" he asked. Talking was the last thing he wanted to do, but he knew he didn't have a choice.

"What do you mean 'about what'?" his father yelled, all patience with his son gone. "For starters, how about that little stunt you pulled down there? How could you treat Lizzie like that?"

"She broke a precious family heirloom in a fit of childish rage," he said, sounding indifferent. "Was I just supposed to smile and look the other way?"

"She was just looking at it!" Vincent yelled. "You didn't have to snap at her like that! You even made her cry!"

He wanted to say that making her cry wasn't very hard to do, but decided against it. "Fine, I'll go apologize if it makes her feel better," he offered. Not that he really thought he had to...

"They already left," his mother told him. "Poor Lizzie was crying her eyes out. Frances thought it was best to take her home. And you _will_ call her and apologize tomorrow."

"Why should I have to apologize?" he demanded. "I told you that I didn't even want them over in the first place."

"They're your family and they should be able to see you on your birthday!" Vincent shouted. "Honestly, why are you being such a brat?"

"That's something else we've been wanting to talk about, darling," Rachel said. "It seems that ever since we've moved here, your attitude has changed completely. You've just grown so distant and mean. Tell us, when was the last time you've talked to your friends?"

"I do not have friends," he said in an even tone. "I do not require them."

"What are you saying? That you don't need other people?" his father demanded. "All you ever do is hang around the house. You never talk to anyone, you never call anyone, and you never go out unless we make you. Why are you so reclusive?"

"I find that solitude suits me quite well," he replied. "I prefer to be alone."

"Darling, you never acted like this until we moved here," his mother observed. "And that's why we've decided that we're moving back into our old house in London. This is something your father and I have already discussed numerous times. We think that it will help you open up again."

"You think the house has anything to do with this?" he asked. "No, it is simply me. You can either accept that or not."

"Enough!" his father snapped. "We're moving out in four days. Start packing!"

With that, they turned and left.

**XxxxxxX**

**A/N: I think that turned out nice, how about you guys? Only one more chapter to go!**

**Review!**


	8. Forever

**Disclaimer: Mən öz bir şey deyil**

**A/N: Hola! So now we're at the end of our little tale. Thanks for sticking around this long. Does anyone else not like the way they've changed how the text looks on this site? It's too big for my taste. Btw, I'm starting college in a few weeks so it might be awhile before you guys hear from me again.**

**XxxxxxX**

Needless to say, Sebastian did not take the news well.

After his parents left, Ciel simply sat on his bed and stared after them. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. They were going to get up and move, just like that? So soon?

It didn't take long for disbelief to turn into indignant anger. Honestly, how could they just decide to do this? And all because he didn't cater to his bratty cousin's wants? How unfair.

It didn't take long for Sebastian to return to his side. The butler was obviously trying to stay composed, but his narrowed eyes and thin lips gave away how upset he was. His fist were clenched tightly.

"I take it you heard all that?" he asked.

"Yes, I did," Sebastian replied softly.

The spirit opened his mouth to say more, but then closed it. He knelt in front of his master and gently took the boy's hand. He then put the now repaired silver ring on the boy's thumb.

"You fixed it?" Ciel asked wonderingly.

"Yes. What kind of butler would I be if I couldn't do something as simple as that?" Sebastian replied with a small smile.

Ciel expected to be elated to have the ring back, but he didn't. Instead, he felt like he should take the ring off and fling across the room. But he quickly stomped on that urge. He was being ridiculous. The ring was very important to him, wasn't it?

"I don't understand what my parents are thinking," he said. "Do they honestly think that moving back to London will change anything? I didn't need any of those fools before, and I don't need them now." _Not that they'll ever want to talk to me again, anyway, _he thought.

"They're probably just doing this to spite me," he stated. "God forbid anyone should ever upset poor Elizabeth."

When Sebastian didn't reply, he turned to look at the butler. To his surprise, the man's eyes were filled with sadness. He gave his master a pleading look.

"Please, young master," he begged softly "you must find a way to change your parents' minds. I could not bear it if you were to leave this house. I was without a master for so long before you came. I don't think I could bear it if you left."

"Don't worry, Sebastian," he soothed. "We'll work something out."

**XxxxxxX**

_He was surrounded by total darkness. The only visible thing was the door in front of him. He hesitated a moment before he slowly turned the knob. _

_His eyes widened when he saw what was on the other side. The sun was shining brightly. There was a beautiful meadow filled with flowers. In it, there were his friends and family relaxing on a picnic blanket. They all looked very happy and content. When they noticed him, they all smiled eagerly and reached out toward him. He made a move to go to them when the door suddenly slammed shut._

_The darkness around him suddenly disappeared. He now saw that he was standing in a hallway. The same hallway that contained his namesake's room. His body seemed to have a mind of its own as he moved slowly towards the door. It opened on its own and he looked cautiously inside._

_He almost screamed at what he saw. There was a figure sitting on top of the cloth covered coffin. At first he thought it was a really skinny person, but then he realized that it was a skeleton. It was wearing a very old and somewhat decayed blue suit. In front of it, a familiar figure was kneeling._

"_Are you really going to let me taken from my home, Sebastian?" the skeleton asked._

"_Of course not, my lord," the butler answered. "I will figure out a way to prevent this."_

"_Do whatever is necessary," the skeleton ordered. "I believe that you already know what that means."_

_Sebastian smirked and kissed the skeleton's hand._

"_Yes, my lord."_

Ciel sat up with gasp. He looked around and was relieved to see that he was still in his bed. He breathed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. As much as he tried, he couldn't get that dream out of his head. The image of Sebastian kissing that corpse's hand made him want to vomit.

"Young master?" Sebastian asked. He was suddenly by the boy's side. "Is something the matter?"

He almost recoiled from the butler, but controlled himself.

"It was just a dream," he said sternly, as if trying to convince himself. "Nothing but a dream."

**XxxxxxX**

For the next three days, Ciel noticed another change come over him. Actually, it was more like the first change never happened. All of the hostility and arrogance that appeared in him suddenly seemed to vanish. When he thought about how he had treated his loved ones recently, he felt a deep shame.

To his surprise, he was very easily forgiven.

He was his parents' little prince. All it took was a remorseful look and a few words to make them forgive him. They told him, after a few firm hugs and kisses, that they were still moving to London, but he realized that he didn't care. In fact, he was a bit eager to get out of the mansion. He longed to see his old home again.

Lizzie also forgave him when he called her the morning after his party.

"Oh, Ciel, don't apologize!" she cried. "I acted like a total brat! I'm so, so, so sorry that I broke your ring! And I don't hate you! Please forgive me!"

Of course, he told her that she was forgiven. They also agreed that they had both overreacted. He told her that he looked forward to seeing her after she returned from her vacation.

He also decided to call his friends. He wasn't expecting forgiveness, but he figured that he would try anyway.

"Look, Alois," he said after the blond answered his phone "I know that I've been a total asshole and you have every right to be mad at me, but I still want to say that I'm sorry for the way I treated you and Soma. I was just going through, um...hormone troubles." Yeah, that was believable.

After a moment of silence, Alois spoke. "My God," he said quietly. "Am I actually receiving an apology from _the _Ciel Phantomhive? Has Hell frozen over? Is the world ending?"

"It must be, you ass," he replied, his tone both annoying and teasing.

"But, yeah, man, I understand about the hormone thing," Alois said. "I have that problem sometimes, too. I'll see you at school, 'kay?"

"Yeah, sounds good," he replied with a small smile.

It went the same way with Soma, except the Indian cried a lot more.

So, the past three days were actually quite pleasant. Except for one thing. Sebastian kept following him around like a lost puppy, constantly asking(begging) him to convince his parents not to move. He kept telling the spirit that there was nothing he could do about it, but the butler kept persisting. Finally, on the evening of the third day, he snapped.

"Damn it, Sebastian!" he yelled. "I have told you over and over. I am moving out tomorrow and there's nothing I can do about it. I know that you don't want me to go, but you're just going to have to deal with it."

"But young master," Sebastian continued to plead. "You don't understand. I simply _cannot _be in a house without a master in it."

"Well, you're just going to have to," he said, all patience gone. "Now leave my sight. I've had enough of your whining."

He could have sworn the butler glared at him before disappearing. But he just shrugged it off. He still had to pack the rest of his things.

By the time he went to bed, he was quite tired. But he found that he couldn't fall asleep. He tossed and turned for half an hour before he laid back and sighed wearily.

"Young master?" came the butler's voice.

He turned to see Sebastian standing next to his bed with a lit candelabra and a cart. He gave the boy a small smile.

"My lord, please forgive me for acting the way I have for the past few days," he said. "It was quite unacceptable for a butler."

"...It's alright," he answered. He wouldn't be seeing the man ever again, so he might as well be nice.

"I noticed that you were having trouble sleeping, sir, so I took the liberty of preparing you some warm milk," Sebastian informed him as he poured the milk into a cup and added honey.

He took the cup eagerly. Warm milk sounded just the thing he needed. He drank the delicious liquid down as quickly as he dared and handed the cup back to the butler. A sudden wave of sleepiness came over him and he laid back down. He suddenly got the feeling that something wasn't right.

"Go to sleep, young master," Sebastian soothed as he pulled the covers over the boy.

The last thing he saw was the butler's glowing red eyes.

**XxxxxxX**

He didn't know how long he was asleep, but he didn't feel tired at all when he woke up. He opened his eyes to dimly lit room. Everything seemed normal, but something just did not feel right. After examining the room, he noticed that the light fixture on his ceiling was missing. It suddenly occurred to him that the boxes he had packed last night had disappeared.

He slowly looked down and gasped. The quilt covering him was different from the one he was using last night. Instead of blue, it was white and made out of velvet. Before he could observe more, Sebastian walked in with his cart.

"Good morning, young master!" he called cheerfully as he opened the curtains.

"Sebastian?" he asked, sounding confused. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean, my lord?" the spirit asked.

As he looked more closely at Sebastian, he noticed the man appeared to be more..._solid_. He wasn't slightly fading as he usually was.

Sebastian pulled back his blanket and he gasped. His pajamas were gone. Instead, he was wearing a nightshirt. Sebastian pulled a set of clothes off the cart, and Ciel observed with shock that it was an old-fashioned blue suit.

"Sebastian, what happened?" he demanded, trying not to panic. "I demand you tell me!"

The butler sighed and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Well, to put it simply, my lord, you're dead," he deadpanned.

He opened to mouth and then shut it again. He stared at the butler for a few long moments.

"What?" he finally yelled. "What do you mean I'm dead? How can I be dead?"

"I'm afraid that I had to resort to extreme measures to keep you here, my lord," Sebastian explained calmly. "I put a very fast acting poison in your milk. I trust that your passing was quite painless?"

He could do nothing but stare at Sebastian in open mouthed horror. No no no nononono! This couldn't be happening! This was all some sort of terrible dream-

Sebastian smiled and bowed. "Not to worry, young master," he said. "I am here. And I will be your butler _forever_."

**XxxxxxX**

Rachel quietly walked into her son's room. She knew that Ciel tended to sleep late on the weekends, but they had to get a move on. They didn't want to keep the moving men waiting.

She smiled when she saw the boy laying in his bed. She walked over and started to shake him.

"Ciel, honey, wake up-" she started.

She noticed that her son was very cold to the touch. She gasped and quickly checked for a pulse. When there wasn't one, she started screaming and ran to find her husband.

According to the doctors, he had already been dead for hours before she found him. What's more, they had discovered poison running through the boy's system. If that wasn't bad enough, they were suspected of murdering their son before his death was ruled as a suicide.

"It's all our fault," she sobbed at his funeral. "We shouldn't have tried to make him move."

"Sweetheart, I'm sure that wasn't it," Vincent soothed. "We have no idea why this happened."

Even though he tried to sound calm, he felt as if his heart was ripped out of his chest. Their little Ciel, his baby boy, dead? It was unthinkable.

They finally moved out of the mansion a few weeks later. They couldn't bear to stay in it one minute longer, especially considering what day it was.

"Happy birthday, Ciel," she choked out before she got in the car to follow the moving van.

As they drove away, a figure appeared in front of the house. It was that of a little boy dressed in a blue suit. He looked after them with sad eyes. Another, darker figure appeared behind him and put one hand on the boy's shoulder. His other hand held a teapot.

After the car was out of sight, they turned to go back into the mansion.

**XxxxxxX**

**A/N: And there you have it, folks! This chapter was the whole reason I wrote this story. And the only reason it's in the horror genre. It looked a lot better in my mind, but oh well.**

**Review, please! They feed my ego!**


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